Sitting All Day? How Often Should You Get Up and Move?

For office workers, it’s common to spend most of the day sitting in front of a computer—from the start of the workday until lunch, and then back to the desk until the end of the day. Sometimes, we may sit for several hours without even realizing it.

Although sitting is often unavoidable at work, prolonged sitting and limited movement may affect your health more than you think.

How often should you get up and move?

There is no single rule that works for everyone. However, if you spend long hours sitting at work, a practical approach is to get up, change your position, or move around every 30–60 minutes.

You don’t need to do intense exercise. Even just 2–5 minutes of movement can help break up long periods of sitting.

Try simple activities such as:

- Walking to refill your water

- Walking while talking on the phone

- Stretching your neck, shoulders, and back

- Taking the stairs when appropriate

- Setting a reminder on your phone to get up and move regularly

Why is it important to get up and move?

1. Helps reduce neck, shoulder, and back discomfort

Staying in the same position for long periods, especially while working at a computer, can cause muscle tension and fatigue. Changing positions and stretching regularly can help prevent your body from staying in the same posture for too long.

2. Increases movement throughout the day

Even if you exercise after work, spending most of the rest of the day sitting still means your overall daily movement may still be low. Getting up and walking regularly is a simple way to add more physical activity to your day.

3. Helps improve circulation and reduce fatigue

Sitting for long periods may leave your legs feeling heavy, stiff, or tired. Getting up and walking periodically allows your body to move and can help reduce discomfort from staying in one position for too long.

4. Gives your eyes and brain a break from the screen

Getting away from your desk is not only good for your body. Short breaks from the screen also give your eyes and mind a chance to rest, helping you return to work feeling refreshed.

Don’t sit for so long that you forget to move.

Good health isn’t just about exercising for a short period of the day. It’s also about reducing sitting time and adding more movement throughout your day.